-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Since China took part in the Olympic Games in 1984 after a three-decade absence , competitive sports have served one purpose -- to build national pride .

Athletes ' victories on the global stage made us proud of the new China . The new `` open '' China was full of hopes , dreams and opportunities . A strong , united nation working together to build a better tomorrow was the higher calling for all of us . To serve this calling , many kids who were identified as potential elite athletes were enrolled into the government supported `` sports schools . '' If they trained hard and were talented enough , they would make it to represent their city , their province and then one day their country .

When there is a demand , there was also a reward . Chinese Olympic champions were well rewarded through national and local government , both in terms of compensation and social status . Lang Ping , the star of the 1984 women 's volleyball team that won a gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics , was the Michael Jordan of China .

As the son of a sports reporter , I was fortunate enough to know her when I was a kid . The fact that I knew her made me very popular at school , pretty much like telling everybody at school today that Kobe Bryant is your friend .

In 2008 , China won 51 gold medals -LRB- 100 medals overall -RRB- and topped the gold medal tally at the Beijing Olympic Games . After this astounding success , many started to ask what 's next ?

Economic growth means that people have more options in terms of career . It is more and more difficult to find kids -LRB- and parents -RRB- who want to join the `` sports school '' system and aim for that one-in-a-million shot to become an Olympic gold medalist . Academic performance offers a more certain path to success . Better grades means better universities , better universities means better jobs . At least that has been -LRB- and will probably still be for a long time -RRB- the belief of many parents and teachers .

There is nothing wrong with the obsession towards winning , after all , that 's what elite competitive sports is all about but there are other emerging trends that might change the face of sports in China .

A growing urban population and middle class are seeking a better quality of life and personal well-being . In 2013 , more than 750,000 people participated in a running competition or marathon , up 50 percent on 2012 , according to the China Track and Field Association

In 2014 , there will be 53 marathons registered at the China Track and Field Association and this number is projected to grow at least at 20 percent annually . Compared to the 200 marathons held each year in Japan , China still has a long way to go but there is a new enthusiasm for sport at the grassroots level .

However , we also see that more kids -LRB- and parents -RRB- are embracing sport and the values it teaches . We operate a sports academy in Shanghai that teaches fencing , squash and Thai boxing . Through a season of sports training and competition , we help kids to build confidence , work in teams and develop leadership skills .

These are the qualities that will help them to secure that better future over and beyond their academic performance . The Chinese government and many Chinese educators are starting to see the value of sports in education . They could do more by making sports an important part of school grades .

Six years after the Beijing Olympic Games , there is another Olympic Games currently taking place in China this month -- the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing . This Games is different .

At the opening ceremony , International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach urged participants to take selfies to show off their good fortune and stressed the importance of sharing , learning and making friends . Most people do n't know who won the first gold medal or how many gold medals China has won .

In today 's China , the demand for sports has gone beyond Olympic gold medals and national pride .

Sport in China : What 's wrong with winning ?

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The meaning of competitive sports is changing in China

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A growing urban population and middle class are seeking a better quality of life and personal well-being through sports

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In 2013 , more than 750,000 people participated in a running competition or marathon

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More kids are embracing sport and the values it teaches